Ensnaring his Dark Moon-Chapter 150: Sinister secrets

*Flashback continues*

She knew he cared for her yet she could not help but laugh in her heart. In her brother’s heart, Aleister was a devil with a red cape and pointy horns who will eat her up at any moment.

If only she could tell Adrian that she was the one who was having evil designs for Aleister lately. She even went as far as to pretend to be drunk... ’’Cough... Brother, why are you here?" Esme asked the man.

Adrian pointed his chin towards Aleister, ’’Even I am curious about it.’’

Arlan stopped talking.

Esme glanced at Aleister questioningly, ’’The more, the better.’’

As it turned out, Aleister lured Adrian and Arlan into their plan. Of course, they were not told about the possibility of witches even though he informed them that Duchess Flora was a suspect in these murders.

Esme did not think her brother would agree to this and he proved her right.

He asked her to go with him so that he could talk to her alone.

Aleister raised an eyebrow. It would have been much better if this brother-in-law was a younger one as well. He glanced at the stone-faced Adrian before looking at the over-enthusiastic Arlan. His gaze finally shifted to Esme, ’’I’ll head out first. Make sure to come in time,’’ he spoke to her.

Before she could nod, he made his way towards her under the Reis brothers’ watchful eyes and grabbed the back of her neck before placing a chaste kiss on her forehead.

Her heart did a few flips before embarrassment took over gradually.

’’Eat properly and be careful on your way. Do you want me to send some guards...?"

’’I won’t fly away by the wind,’’ Esme interrupted him in exasperation.

’’Are you certain?" He asked.

Esme opened her mouth to speak but she paused for a moment noticing how serious he looked, ’’Yes, I am.’’

Adrian gritted his teeth. If not because of Esme then...

’’Brother-in-law, you will burst one day if your temper keeps flaring up like that,’’ Aleister winked at the man and headed out of the room.

Esme blinked.

’’Arlan, go back to your room,’’ Adrian spoke up.

As soon as Arlan left the room, Adrian turned to look at Esme, ’’Why do you need to meddle in their Kingdom’s affairs? Others might not know but I know about your fake relationship....’’

’’You know everything, brother,’’ Esme interrupted him, ’’Don’t you?"

’’What?"

’’You know that my mother is not a daughter of the Reis family and I am not your sister.’’

’’Who told you?" Adrian frowned. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Esme glanced at him quietly, ’’So, you indeed knew about it.’’

’’Esme, I never brought it up in front of you so that you won’t worry about it unnecessarily,’’ he stepped closer to her and cupped her cheeks, ’’I don’t care about blood. To me, you will always be my sister, someone I have sworn to protect with everything I have.’’

Esme smiled, ’’I know...’’ She paused, ’’But I don’t want to go back, brother. I have told Aunt about my decision. I am staying here.’’

’’For what? For that man? When did you start trusting people so easily?’’ Adrian stepped towards her and grabbed her shoulders, ’’The Esme I know places herself before anything or anyone else. People might call it selfish but I know that it has always been your shield which you used to protect yourself from people who approached you with ulterior motives. Why are you being a fool now?"

’’Because I am tired, brother,’’ Esme spoke softly, ’’I can’t pretend anymore. I can’t be selfish when it comes to him when he has always placed me first. I want to be there for him. Just let me be this once.’’

’’And what if he hurts you? What if you end up feeling betrayed again as you felt after witnessing the true colors of our Uncle?" Adrian stepped back from her, dropping his hands from her shoulders.

Esme contemplated his words and a small smile formed on her face when she thought back to all the times when Aleister shielded her with his own body to protect her, and the times when he got hurt because of her, ’’He’d rather hurt himself before he thinks about hurting me. Aleister.... is someone I trust with closed eyes.’’

Adrian sighed when he saw the confident look on her face, ’’I don’t know what to do with you.’’

’’Find me a sister-in-law,’’ Esme winked, ’’You will get older fast if you keep being like this.’’

Later, everything went according to their plan and with Adrian’s help, the non-existent fight between the lovers felt real.

Aleister stormed out of the King’s room in anger... of pretense.

And Esme tried her best not to laugh as she glanced at his retreating back. Did he just roll his eyes at her before leaving? She could understand where he was coming from. The mighty and aloof Prince Aleister would never have expected that there would be a day when he would be acting like this.

Esme could only blame her crafty mind for coming up with such a twisted plan.

Aleister’s straightforward plan was to capture Duchess Flora but Esme could see the endless trust that the King and Duke Maverick have in this woman. There is faith in their eyes for her.

If they come to find out that Aleister captured her or harmed her, they would never believe their words and there will be a rift between them because Aleister would never bother explaining his actions because he did not care about what people thought, even if they were his family.

Esme did not want that.

’’I will go and see if the packing is done,’’ Esme spoke to her Aunt before walking out of the room.

...

’’They are here...’’ Esme whispered, having her ear pressed to the door.

Aleister had his hand crossed in front of his chest as he looked at her back, ’’You look pretty today.’’

Esme glanced at herself from head to toe before she glanced at him, ’’Do I?" she whispered.

’’You do,’’ he winked.

Esme blushed but her eyes widened when the sounds of footsteps approached closer, ’’I am sorry. I did not mean anything that I said," she said in a sad voice even though her face was flushed red.

Aleister raised an eyebrow. She got a talent for acting, hasn’t she?

Esme continued after some time, "I will leave now...’’

Just as she turned around to leave, he spoke up, ’’Esme, are you possessed?"

She glanced at him with a frown on her face, ’’Why are you talking to me in that tone?"

’’What about you?" he stepped towards her and extended his hand, his fingers stroking her face, ’’Why are you acting like this? One day, you are confessing to me about your feelings, about how seeing me with some other woman makes you jealous and the next day, you want to leave me," his voice remained harsh.

Esme sighed, ’’It’s not about that. I...’’

’’Not about that? What then? Do you want to deny everything that happened yesterday or whatever happened between us during all our time together?" he grabbed her shoulders, ’’Are you going to deny everything? Or are you going to say that you were drunk and you don’t mean anything you said?"

’’You are hurting me,’’ she winced pretending as if his grip tightened on her when he was just stroking her skin, ’’Stop behaving like this.’’

’’I can never understand what’s on your mind, Esme.’’

She stepped back from him, ’’Why do you even need to understand me? Don’t forget we are not some real lovers. It was just a pretense in the first place so stop acting as you own me...’’ she shouted at the door before storming out of the room.

Her footsteps came to a halt when she saw Duke Maverick and Duchess Flora outside the door. Her lips parted.

Duchess Flora wiped the tears from her eyes, ’’Esme.... don’t mind his actions. Brother’s health condition is not good so don’t take his words to heart. Can you please.... stay with him during this period? He needs you...’’

Duke Maverick sighed.

’’Stay with him?" Esme glanced at Aleister who was looking at her from a distance, ’’I can not tolerate him. He is unreasonable.’’

’’Neither do I enjoy your company. Just get out of my sight right this instant,’’ Aleister threw the wine glass in his hand to the floor.

’’I am leaving. You don’t need to order me around.’’

’’Don’t show me your face ever again.’’

Esme’s eyes teared up, ’’Rude jerk!" she mumbled under her breath and ran away.

Duke Maverick and Duchess Flora glanced at each other helplessly. ’’I thought they would look so nice together. Why is this happening?" Duchess Flora sobbed.

Esme stopped at a distance and she just happened to witness the scene. This woman...surely used her tears to the full extent. She could never have guessed that this seemingy delicate woman was hiding such sinister secrets.